There are plenty of trendy exercises. Everything from doing calisthenics in a warehouse to aerobic instruction from the latest ‘fitness guru’ float around the internet until some trendsetter floats them into the mainstream. That is until they are forgotten as quickly as they catch on. But regardless of the latest trends, there are exercises with staying power as strong as the athletes implementing them.

Squat

If you’ve never done a squat, you should start off with no weight. The exercise is so effective, when done correctly, simply executing the form as a bodyweight squat can build muscle. A lower body drill focusing on your legs and core, the squat is a standing exercise in which you physically squat low keeping your knees behind your ties and slowly stand up straight repeatedly. It is even great for strengthening your joint tendons.

Deadlift

From your upper back to your hands and down to your hamstrings, the deadlift is about as close to a full body exercise as you can get. Effectively lifting heavy weight from the ground without momentum- hence the term ‘dead’- to the hips and repeating, it is a very effective training method. And there are plenty of variations for the more discerning lifter, including the Romanian deadlift and single leg deadlift.

Bench Press

Bench pressing is an age-old means for building upper body strength and adding mass to your chest size. Most effective when you gradually increase the weight on the bench bar throughout your set, bench-pressing is perfect for anyone trying to tighten their upper body. The weight you choose also helps you accomplish different goals, lighter weight and more repetitions helps with toning while heavier weight with fewer reps allows you to build size.

Shoulder Press

Your shoulder strength is the most influential component to your speed and range of motion when it comes to such activity as throwing and boxing. Increasing your shoulder mass and giving you more power, the shoulder press is as important as the bench press for increasing your upper body strength.